A Nation Held Hostage: The Ces Drilon Abduction

Written on Thursday, June 12th, 2008 at 8:22 am | by Ding G. Gagelonia

As each agonizing hour and day passes, the prayer brigades of the religious ‘are storming the gates of heaven’ for The Almighty’ to end the ordeal of Ces Drilon and her three male companions at the hands of the dreaded, and heartless Abu Sayyaf (ironically, their name translates to Sword of God!).

But setting the spiritual concerns aside, new emerging details about the abduction in Sulu, while not unexpected, are absolutely nerve-wracking:

The Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Mindanao news bureau correspondent, Julie Alikpala (who herself was originally supposed to join Cesa Drilon in that fateful trip to Maimbung) now quotes the police chief of Sulu, Senior Supt. Julasirim Kasim, as revealing that “the captives have been transferred to another armed group in Mount Tumatangis in Indanan town.”

“We were informed that Ces’ group was brought to Tumatangis at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday. We made the confirmation at around 11 p.m. on Tuesday when I went to Maimbung,” Kasim is quoted as disclosing.

Earlier Tuesday, police told reporters in Zamboanga and Sulu that the captives were brought to the Karawan Complex in the middle of the towns of Maimbung, Indanan, Patikul, Parang and Talipao.

That initial report had confirmed Drilon, her cameramen Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama, and their guide, Mindanao State University Prof. Octavio Dinampo, were abducted in Barangay Labbah in Maimbung by a group of armed men led by Gafur Jumdail, purportedly of the Moro National Liberation Front’s Misuari breakaway group.

Now Sulu police chief Kasim is citing reports that the captives had been taken to Indanan and were now with armed men led by Albader Parad, purportedly of the Abu Sayyaf.

Kanain Isnaji, executive secretary of Indanan Mayor Isnaji Alvarez, also confirmed receiving such reports, but said Jumdail and Parad belonged to the same group.

These latest details fall right in the same pattern narrated by journalist and former Abu Sayyaf victim Arlyn dela Cruz who recapped in her latest story for the Inquirer how she herself was moved transferred by her original abductors to another group of armed men, along with being moved around the jungle lairs of the Abu Sayyaf to avoid detection by would-be rescuers.

Such is the scenario now being replayed, with not only Ces Drilon and her companions held at gunpoint, but the whole nation.

This new traumatic episode is sadly seeping into our already ravaged collective psyche as a people reeling from poverty and overall social and political instability.

No matter now whether there is a news blackout or story embargo. Today or in the future.

What we know or don’t know still hurts us, deeply.

‘Bad news’ reported willingly or unwillingly by either state-controlled media or corporate news organizations, which really are crown jewels and protective mantles against government meddling or public scrutiny, is always bad and damaging.

You just don’t feel the pain immediately. The ‘post stress trauma’ just emerges later as depression, or worse.

Such is the national fate.

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About The Author: Ding G. Gagelonia is a journalist of some 30 years, having worked in both radio and TV news and public affairs since his teens. Ding Gagelonia now writes independently and does corporate communications consulting. He has two kids, Felice and Luis. His journalist blog is at midfield.wordpress.com

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5 Responses to “A Nation Held Hostage: The Ces Drilon Abduction”

  1. benign0 on June 13th, 2008 4:26 am

    I wouldn’t go as far as saying that an “entire nation” is held hostage.

    Ces Drilon is just one of hundreds of Pinoys that disappear without a trace every year.

    I think Rudy Fernandez’s death, wake, and funeral seems to be TOUCHING far more Pinoys than this little drama.

  2. Ding G. Gagelonia on June 13th, 2008 5:24 am

    Agreed. But zooming out from the essay, the real point is the abduction is emblematic of how a sensational crime such as this, and others that have come before, can make us ‘paralyzed’ in thought and action, give birth to copycats,and embolden other malefactors and malcontents in society to restart the kidnap-for-ransom ‘industry’. We may note that in the latest breaking story, one of Ces’ cameramen has just been released after payment of “board and lodging expenses”. Euphemism for the ‘R’ word?

  3. Evaristo Guanzon on June 13th, 2008 1:45 pm

    Masyado pagpapakita ng concern dyan kay Ces Drilon to call it a NAtion Held Hostage.

    Si Ces Drilon, kampi yan parati sa balita sa mutineers, sa komunista, sa NPA, sa mga kriminal, basta laban sa gobyerno.

    Ngayon, eh di mas close na siya sa mga kinakampihan niya nun. Akla kasi niya, ibabalik ng abu sayaff ang favor ng pagkampi niya sa mga kalaban ng gobyerno.

    Ayun, na hostage tuloy. Parusa yan sa mga mapapel!

  4. angelous , manlulo on June 17th, 2008 11:59 pm

    ces drilon is my moms boss’ sister and i believe in faith that she will be realeased soon.!.

  5. Ding G. Gagelonia on June 18th, 2008 10:16 am

    Your faith and that of many others did it. No Filipino, no human being for that matter deserves to be taken captive.

    Sadly other than demons such as the Abu Sayyaf, the enforced disappearances in the Philippines -the domestic versions of the American-invented practice of ‘extraordinary renditions’ in the “war on terror” are happening with impunity. I believe Jonas Burgos’ case is one stark example. One of my next posts will tackle this point. Some call this state-sponsored terrorism.

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